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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29390955">Knowledge Ghazal</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucianlibrarian/pseuds/lucianlibrarian'>lucianlibrarian</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XV</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Declarations Of Love, Falling In Love, Ghazal, Growing Up Together, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Loss of Parent(s), Love Poems, M/M, Poetry, Rituals, Suggestive Themes, political maneuvering</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 08:26:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>323</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29390955</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucianlibrarian/pseuds/lucianlibrarian</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>So, they dragged me before you, a knock-kneed, gentian-eyed prince,</em>
  <br/>
  <em>told me being at your side would be the life I’d know.</em>
</p><hr/><p>Ignis reflects on how he came to serve Noctis and, over time, fall in love.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Noctis Lucis Caelum/Ignis Scientia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Knowledge Ghazal</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/latt/gifts">latt</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>The <em>ghazal</em> is an ancient Arabic form, most often know for dealing with subjects of love, loss, and metaphysics. Ranging from five to fifteen couplets, it is known for repeating the same word or phrase, called the <em>radif</em>, at the end of each interlinking couplet. (The first couplet actually uses the <em>radif</em> twice—once at the end of the first line, and again at the end of the second.) The final couplet, or <em>maqtaa</em>, should also incorporate the author's name or pen name.</p><p>A difficult form, it's considered to be one of the most beautiful poetic expressions because it understands that music, beauty, magic, and pain are so often intertwined.</p><hr/><p>I actually wrote this back in April 2020 but sat on it for Reasons(tm) that don't matter much anymore. Dedicated to <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/latt">latt</a>, who has just been so supportive of me as a poet in this fandom—and who loved this from the get-go.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>My mothers told me my first word was not <em> mama </em> but <em> know</em>;<br/>
as soon as I could speak, I was seeking to know.</p><p><em> Why do cats purr? Why do stars sparkle? Tell me about the rain. <br/>
</em>They had all the answers to everything I wanted to know.</p><p>Then suddenly, I was alone. <em> Where do we go when we die?</em>, I asked.<br/>
<em> Will I go there, too? When can I see my mamas again? Do you know? </em></p><p>House Scientia sent me to the Citadel. <em> Shame to waste a clever boy.<br/>
</em> I asked, <em> What about what I want? </em>No response. What did they know?</p><p>So, they dragged me before you, a knock-kneed, gentian-eyed prince,<br/>
told me being at your side would be the life I’d know.</p><p>Turned out you lost your mother, too. You told me a fable:<br/>
our mothers were now goddesses of what we love, honor, &amp; know. </p><p>We built a little shrine for them in the gardens. Each week,<br/>
we left cakes &amp; juice. Wine if we thought no one would know.</p><p>Then, the accident. You never went back to the shrine again.<br/>
It was like you’d forgotten it. No, it was like you didn’t know.</p><p>Everything changed. I needed to be so much for you because<br/>
you had to be so much for yourself. There was a lot I had to know.</p><p>Not just for myself, but for you. For us. Sometimes, you hated me.<br/>
Sometimes, I hated myself. You’d curse me, &amp; I wanted to say, <em> I know. </em></p><p>But you didn’t forget that shrine, did you? Yesterday, I saw it.<br/>
You had it moved into the chapel. Please forgive me—I didn’t know.</p><p>I saw it in your eyes, that love. Has it always been so bright?<br/>
Honor, bluer than the sky. And gods, what you must know…</p><p><em> Ignis aurum probat</em>—fire tests gold—is a lie. <em> You </em> made me capable.<br/>
Touch me; I’m yours. Always. Surely you know &amp; you know &amp; you know.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/lucianlibrarian">@lucianlibrarian</a><br/>Discord: starryfox#7213</p></blockquote></div></div>
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